India has a chicken and egg situation. Quite literally!

Egg prices have witnessed an abrupt surge over the last few weeks in most parts of the country. On retail shops, the egg is selling Rs 7 apiece in Delhi, which translates into Rs 125 for 1kg of egg.

A crate containing 30 eggs which costed INR 150 (INR 5 per egg) earlier, will now cost nothing lower than 175-180 or more, which is almost equivalent to one kilogram of chicken now.

“Egg prices have increased significantly as many poultry farms have reduced production for the current year because they did not get better rates last year,” Poultry Federation of India President Ramesh Katritold PTI.

Indian Express

Meanwhile, the price of broiler chicken is 30 per cent down since October. According to a Business Standard report, broiler chicken old at Rs 101 a kg (average) in the wholesale Punjab markets on Friday, compared to Rs 132 a kg last month. In the Pune and Nashik markets, it was quoted at Rs 62 a kg, from Rs 70 a kg last month.

Poultry farmers in Mumbai have been selling eggs at a monthly average of Rs 582 per 100 eggs in November as compared to Rs 422 in October.

In 2016-17, egg prices at the farm gate level (wholesale) were ruling below Rs 4 per piece in view of higher domestic output while the cost of production had stood at Rs 3.50 per piece, he said.

“Egg prices usually rise at this time due to winter demand, while broiler rates fall because supply goes up, with the birds taking less time to reach slaughter weight. But we have never seen this kind of price spiral in eggs before,” a leading egg products manufacturer based in Erode, Tamil Nadu told Indian Express.

According to The Indian Express, egg production isn’t going to recover as fast as broiler, consumers may have to wait for a few weeks for prices to ease.

Soon, egg bhurjee might be a part of your next fine-dining experience.